Toothpick holder



Oct. 12 1926.

8 c. D. BROWN woo'mncx HOLDER Fild March 14. 1924 Patented Oct. 12, 1926.

CHARLES 1). BROWN, or 201m: HURON, MICHIGAN.

\ TOOTHPICK HOLDER.

Application filed March 14, 1924. Serial No. 699,170.

This invention relates to a toothpick holder and has special reference to a holder adapted to be carried in a vest'pocket for maintaining toothpicks in aclea-n', unbroken sanitary condition. l

The primary object of my lTLVBlltlOIl'lS to provide a toothpick holder which maybe manipulated to deliver one toothpick at a timeythis being accomplished without manually adjusting any structural part of the toothpick holder.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide a small and compact toothpick container in which a multiplicity of toothpicks may be placed and safely carried withont any danger of the toothpicks working their way out of the container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple durable and inexpensive toothpick holder including a novel feeding member and a cap by which the holder may be completely closed. The feeding member is of such configuration as to preclude discharge of one or more toothpicks, except when held in a defined position and then only one toothpick at a time. The toothpick holder is constructed upon the principle of a shaker but is a pocket edition in contradistinction to a table toothpick holder.

The above and other objects are attained by a mechanical construction that will be hereinafter described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein- .Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toothpick holder;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same partly broken away showing the position of the toothpick holder for discharging a toothpick;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a portion of the toothpick holder showing how another position thereof precludes the discharge of a plurality of toothpicks, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the detached feed member.

The toothpick holder comprises a tubular or cylindrical shell 1 and mounted in the outer end thereof is a substantially cylindrical feed member 2. preferably hollow and adapted to frictionally feed in the outer end of the shell. The feed member 2 has a shoulder 3, a concave or grooved inclined wall 4 and a concave orgrooved wall 5 which is adapted to cooperate with the wall of the shell in providing a discharge opening 6 for tooth picks 7 placed in the shell 1. i

Rotatably mounted on the outer end of the shell is a flanged cap 8 provided with a discharge opening 9 adapted to register with the opening 6 to permit of a toothpick being projected from the tooth-pick holder. The cap 8 may be rotated to shift the discharge opening 9 out of alinement with the opening 6, whereby said cap will close the opening 6, prevent toothpicks from being accidentally discharged and preclude any dirt entering the toothpick holder. The cap may be knurled or otherwise roughened to facilitate. rotation.

Closing the inner end of the shell 1 is a filler cap 10 which may frictionally fit in the shell and have its inward movement limited by a peripheral flange 11 on the cap. The cap 10 may be dome shaped, and cooperate with the shell 1 in forming a chamber or receptacle for the toothpick 7.

With the toothpick holder held in one position in the hand the toothpick 7 will lie against that wall of the shell 1 adjacent the shoulder 3 of the feed member 2 with the majority of the toothpicks supported by the shoulder 3 and prevented from sliding down the wall 4 into the discharge opening '6. By slightly shaking the toothpick holder one or possibly two of the toothpicks will be dislodged from the shoulder 3, slide down the wall 4 into the discharge opening 6 and protrude a sufficient distance from the openings 6 and 9 to permit of the toothpick being gripped and withdrawn.

Should the toothpick holder be manipulated in any other position than that shown in Fig. 2, for instance placed in the position shown in Fig. 3, all of the toothpicks will crowd into the opening 6 with the result that none of the toothpicks can pass through the discharge openings, consequently the toothpicks can be safely retained within the toothpick holder and readily obtained when the holder is properly manipulated.

The tooth pick holder may be made of metal or any suitable material finished to present a neat and attractive appearance and the holder will be of such dimensions that it can be conveniently carried in a vest pocket. The toothpicks will be maintained in a sanitary condition and it is possible for the manipulator of the toothpick holder to ofl'er another a toothpick without touching ltll) the same with the hands. This is brought out in Fig. 1 Where a toothpick has been projected and can be Withdrawn from the holder by another other than the one manipulating the holder.

One embodiment of my invention has been illustrated, but it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such changes as are. permissible by the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is 1. A tooth pick holder comprising a receptacle having an uninterrupted interior so the tooth picks may freely shift from one side of said receptacle to the other side thereof, and a feed member in said receptacle having a discharge opening at one side of said receptacle and a shoulder for supporting tooth picks, against a side Wall of said holder when said holder is held in an inclined position, said feed member having a groove extending to the discharge opening one toothpick crow-ding into the discharge openin 2. A toothpick holder comprising a shell,

caps on the ends thereof with one of said caps having a discharge opening at one. side of said shell, and a stationary feed member in said shell adjacent the cap having a discharge opening, said feed member having a toothpick supporting shoulder at the opposite side of said shell from the discharge opening and an inclined grooved Wall leading from said shoulder to the discharge opening of said cap.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

CHARLES l). b liUl'v'Ifx". 

